02 Aug 2025. New publication out!
New publication out in GCB!
What happens to life belowground after a fire? Our latest study uncovers how fire reshapes microbial communities in the soil — with consequences for ecosystem recovery worldwide.
Our global synthesis reveals that fire doesn’t just burn what’s aboveground — it fundamentally reshapes the invisible microbial world beneath our feet. By analyzing over 2,600 soil samples across 19 studies, here’s what we found:
- Fire disrupts how soil microbes disperse, limiting their ability to recolonize burned areas
- Fungal communities lose diversity, and bacterial communities shift toward fewer, dominant species
- This selects for pyrophilic specialists, altering how soil systems may function post-fire
These belowground shifts may reduce microbial resilience and slow down post-fire ecosystem recovery — especially as fire regimes intensify.
Read the press release here.
We made it to the local news (thanks WYFF and KCRA for featuring our work)!
Have a look at our paper:
(2025).
Fire Limits Soil Microbial Dispersal and Differentially Impacts Bacterial and Fungal Communities.
Global Change Biology.